Who is doing the learning?

I love Twitter…that is where I came across this quote. In teaching this is an absolutely true statement; however, many times it seems the teachers are the ones doing all the work…let me explain. I have often stood out at dismissal and watched the students head to the car rider line or the bus loop full of absolute enthusiasm and energy. Now, I am fully aware they are young and with youth comes energy and enthusiasm, but one would think that after 7.5 hours of learning and engagement students would be looking a little more, shall we say tired? Whether it is high school, middle school or elementary school it seems to be the same in many cases. 

Now, fast forward about an hour later…the teachers are heading out to their cars…I see a different picture. It looks like an airport parking lot out there, and that is because the majority of the folks are pulling travel carts behind them loaded with papers, projects, and materials to either grade or prepare for the next day. If they don’t have a travel cart, they have huge bags packed full slung over their shoulder…can we say chiropractor????  The bottom line here is I do not see the energy and enthusiasm that I saw an hour before.  

Now, I believe educators will always bring items home, and let’s face it we will always be tired at the end of the day but a couple of questions for you…

Are you the one doing all the talking in your classroom? Are you the one doing all the moving in your classroom? Are you the one making all the decisions in your classroom? If you are…think about it…how can you change that? Should you change the assignments? Are you utilizing the textbook too much? Do you know the interests of your students? Is your class a project-based classroom? Are your students talking to one another? Are they talking about the learning? 

These are just a few questions to get you thinking.  Now, again, teaching is an active job…one in which you must be moving, planning, participating, but are our students being actively involved in their learning? Are they moving, planning, participating? Are they doing the work?